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Laurel-in-CA

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Everything posted by Laurel-in-CA

  1. Firefly, Eureka, Leverage or Miss Fisher
  2. lapdesks or rolling tables for laptops, a bookcase with a shelf for each kid's materials and planner, and a bean bag chair (or more) as needed. I would leave the rest of up to them...maybe each could choose a poster for the wall? I have to tell you, though, my teen does all her work in her room, thank you very much. She's that way even without the virus.
  3. Hello from another freelance writer -- I write proposals and technical stuff, though. I am generally awful at fiction due to lack of practice and lack of will.
  4. Thanks so much! Our "bonus package" is quite the mature young lady and ready for her next step....if only it would all just go to plan! As I am sending out my resume I am seeing how out of date my skills are and wondering how I can (inexpensively) upgrade them. I've been looking up lots of technical jargon online -- UX-UI, B2B vs B2C and tons of new software and documentation terms. I think I may have to pay for a proposals seminar so I can have something more recent, but that won't solve the immediate unemployment situation. Restart is tough. I wish I could stay semi-retired! But I can hardly sit on my hands when dh has been working so hard at job hunting...he was laid off just as the shutdown happened so it's been a *really* slow process. And my oldest moved back in with us. She and I are both high risk.
  5. I am planning the last year for my last kid too. We had to quit our homeschool PSP because of dh's unemployment (no $ for fees), but luckily I have my own copy of the transcript. And we don't know where we will be (because of the job search and timing and ???) but luckily she's ready for the community college and it's all online, at least this semester. DD only needs 1 semester of government to graduate. She'll be taking English 1A, Cultural Anthropology, and Political Science (for the government credit) all online through the community college. That's her credit limit and it was signed off through our PSP before we left. She's been a trooper as her summer job (assisting at art day camps) and her camp plans AND most of her other summer plans have been cancelled due to virus. I don't know if we'll graduate her at the end of first semester or keep her dual enrolled for the spring; that completely depends on dh's work situation (and mine, I've been freelance proposal writing but it's not consistent enough to count on). I'd love for her to take some more art classes or graphic design. She's done some great murals and small commissions of paintings from photos and even painting the body of a guitar. Very talented, but has learned from her older sister's struggles that a fine arts degree does not a decent job make so she's trying to be more practical and entrepreneurial.
  6. I recently found I have THREE copies of The Gates of Tagmeth -- I was really, really excited to see another book by P.C. Hodgell....unfortunately it would be very tough to start the story with the next-to-last book but I'll share if anyone wants to pay shipping for a copy. 8-)
  7. Our CC has both a certificate and an AA in graphic design. FWIW, my oldest has a BFA but went back to school to take graphic design classes. Last month she finally scored a job in a small print shop and is loving it and learning tons about both graphic design and printing. But without those classes even her art talent was not going to get her a GD job.
  8. Taking my oldest's house and art plunder and moving it to her "she shed" -- she moved in with us @ end of April due to job and housing loss from covid. BUT she has a new job (in her field instead of in retail) up here and loves it, so will be with us for awhile. Last weekend they assembled the shed; this weekend we are going through stuff and deciding what to store, what to pass on, and what to trash.
  9. I wanted to add a sci fi recommendation that I just finished -- from the library. It's a bit of rite of passage meets alien type of story set on Coney Island, the first of a trilogy. I enjoyed it and am checking out the next one in the series.
  10. Sort of lost track of posting for the past 3 mo. while adapting to new online work and husband at home job hunting and oldest dd moving back in while trying to fix my back issues. I've been reading and taking recommendations, though! I think the most fun read I had was from a library recommendation, and I would give it a 5. https://www.amazon.com/Running-Sherman-Donkey-Heart-Hero-ebook/dp/B07NKPW2NP/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=sherman+burro&qid=1591209961&sr=8-1 It's as much about healing from trauma as about burros or running or country living by city folk....as you can see, it takes some rabbit trails.
  11. Speaking of nautical novels, here's a series that *sounds* like it's about seafaring (The Steerswoman) but really is more about exploring and drawing logical conclusions. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074B7S1VJ?ref_=dbs_s_ks_series_rwt And here's another series of post-apocalyptic nautical novels with *lots* of sailing, reflecting a civilization recovering on islands that were barely settled pre-apocalypse. Really good! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074C3ZKTC?ref_=dbs_r_series&storeType=ebooks Not much reading getting done here due to sudden change of situation -- dh is OUT of work and I am doing editting from home, hoping to work more hours soon. He's taking up the kid transport duties and we're struggling over computer access, but I sure hope it won't be this way for very long. Shall we say, financial storms on the horizon, or just in the forecast?
  12. Involuntary major change here....dh was let go from his job of over 9 years. He and I are switching back and forth between computers as he job hunts and I try to keep up with other things. But a blessing to go with the challenge. Unexpectedly got in touch with an old work friend....just to check in because this was *before* dh go his news....and he has hired me to do freelance writing for him on his projects -- at a very generous rate. This helps alleviate the anxiety I feel when talking to health care insurance people and looking at the huge deductibles (I'm insulin-dependent diabetic, so lots of costs out of pocket) and figuring out what to do about our 20-somethings who were on our insurance. We're hoping to stick it out here until May and maybe dh can find a job locally. Once my youngest finishes her DE class at the community college we're going to consider selling the house, but hopefully by then dh's possibilities will be clearer. Oh, and our area just logged its first coronavirus case, so there's that. Another reason to stay safely at home, LOL. Prayers appreciated.
  13. Found a new favorite sword and sorcery series this week. It seems to be labeled YA, but I thought it was a great read, collision of four different cultures, a couple of different religious systems and kingdoms built very loosely around Greece/Asia Minor. This is the first book (6 in the series, so I'm still working on it). https://www.amazon.com/Thief-Queens-Book-ebook/dp/B002OMZTY4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=22H1K760STH5F&keywords=megan+whalen+turner&qid=1581547604&s=digital-text&sprefix=megan+whela%2Cdigital-text%2C448&sr=1-2 For SF lovers, has anyone read MCA Hogarth? This is the first book I read by her and I thoroughly enjoyed the series. She has another series that is darker and more adult, too -- the covers are pretty clear so you can tell the more pastoral from the more adult titles. Lots of aliens and humanoids of various derivations. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CLMGIZQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i16 Meanwhile just babysitting the newly spayed, newly adopted dog after we had to put down our old guy last week. We're all missing his introverted presence, but the new extrovert is a lot more cuddly so that helps bridge the gap.
  14. On The Hobbit, maybe some folks would love a visit? https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/22525406?source_impression_id=p3_1580318679_Ne%2BO6kWsty0fJkRw Sure looks like home. Wish we were closer/close enough to try it.
  15. Thanks for your bookish post. I found some new reading material!!
  16. I just read all three books in the Linesman series. I agree with your recommendation!! In terms of SciFi/Fantasy, I really like P.C. Hodgell's Godstalker Chronicles, tales of a mysterious young woman named Jame and her explorations with native and imported dieties. The author was stuck at book 3 for a long time while, I suppose, she lived her life, but now is retired and has added up to book 8. The first ones are the best, though, IMHO.
  17. Someone mentioned looking for time travel reads for next year. I wanted to recommend Jodi Taylor and her Chronicles of St. Mary's. They are quite a romp. The first one is: https://www.amazon.com/Just-Damned-Thing-After-Another-ebook/dp/B017YA73OO/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=chronicles+of+st.+mary's+1&qid=1577336356&s=digital-text&sr=1-1
  18. Our house was a mile from the fire lines in Sonoma County in 2017. *This month* friends are moving back into their rebuilt homes.
  19. Negin -- I'm loving your pictures of Sevilla. My brother has lived in a small village near Malaga (also Andalucia) for some years and your pictures take me right back to our 25th anniversary visit to Spain!
  20. I enjoyed the whole series of books that follow Quarter Share and take the hero through captaincy of a trading empire. Good stuff. I read Polaris Rising this week....I'd read a sequel...I guess. But not sure this feisty heroine is that unique. Love SciFi recommendations!!
  21. Another mom and I from our co-op started a teen game night to help our girls feel more comfortable with the new group. It's been pretty effective.
  22. Y'all need a park day. If you can't find one, make one by showing up at a centrally located park with clean bathrooms and good visibility every week or every other week at the same time. Bring snacks, drinks and camping chairs and a game or two to keep in the car. Also a basic medical kit for scrapes. Stay at least 2 hours, maybe more. Moms can talk or crochet or whatever, kids can play very open-endedly. We always had a group building forts, some moms walking circuits, some moms breastfeeding, and everything in between. Even if other homeschoolers don't come, by hanging out regularly in the same time frame you may find them or find other friends. I hope you can find that. My family has also done 4-H. It led to adult mentors for a couple of my kids, but not too many same-age friends. And it was GREAT preparation for public speaking (we went to statewide competitions several years) and learning the rules of order for conducting a meeting.
  23. Arcadia -- We are all so happy to see the last of those evacuation orders lifted!! Now I am waiting for PG&E to turn my gas on so I can have heat and cook and shower. Minor concerns compared to last week's this time, when I was packing to leave. Thinking of those still facing raging fires in SoCal.
  24. Anything is better than another firestorm and the 4500-plus homes that burned in 2017 in Santa Rosa CA. Both southern and northern CA can get very high winds. In SoCal they're called Santa Anas, usually hot, blowing off the Mojave desert to the sea. In NorCal they're not always hot, but just as dry. This year they clocked wind gusts of 90-100 mph in the foothills/higher elevations, 50-60 mph sustained. Once a fire starts, the winds drive its expansion pretty quickly. They also create a lot of debris, downed branches, etc., which can impact power lines, hence the pre-emptive shutoffs. About 2/3 of my county (Sonoma) was shut off and about 1/2 evacuated for several days. But this time no loss of life from fire (one person killed by traffic accident), only one major injury. Once we're back home we STILL have to wait to have power and gas turned back home. Our house has power but no heating and nights are cold! But anything is better than another firestorm, right? Cooking in my crockpot and microwave and thankful for it. Adding: They probably were overly cautious and evacuated many more people than needed, but a lot of areas don't have many ways out and traffic can be crazy. This year instead of being surprised by fire (2017) we had time to pack and evacuate in day time. That was huge! I still needed to get some winter clothes, but at least I had socks and underwear and our wedding album and passports....all of which I forgot in 2017.
  25. Spend the day in 3 layers of clothes waiting for my gas to be turned back on. Thankful that we didn't lose electricity during the fire and evacuation, so I don't have a nasty refrigerator to clean out. Thankful for returning to my own bed instead of an air mattress on friends' floor. Goodbye, Kincaid fire, please no more fires this year!!
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